Hurricanes, Typhoons and Tropical Cyclones

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Hurricanes, Typhoonsand Tropical Cyclones

• By Megan Mazerolle and Samantha Cromwell

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Hurricanes
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• A hurricane is defined as a severe tropical
  cyclone originating in the regions of the
  Atlantic Ocean or Caribbean Sea or eastern
  regions of the Pacific Ocean, traveling north,
  northwest, or northeast.
• Near the eye of the hurricane winds can blow at
  speeds up to 74 miles per hour.
• The word hurricane may come from the name of
  the Mayan god of the winds, Hunraken.

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Hurricane Facts

• The deadliest U.S. hurricane on record hit the
  island city of Galveston, Texas, on September 8,
  1900. Over 8,000 people were killed their lives
  and the island was destroyed by 15-foot waves and
  130-mile-an-hour winds.
• The average life of a hurricane is nine days. The
  hurricane is most destructive during its first 12
  hours onshore.
• A typical eye measures 20 miles (32 kilometers)
  across.
• In 1565, a hurricane scattered a French fleet of
  war ships and allowed the Spanish to capture a
  French fort in what is now Florida.

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Typhoons
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• A typhoon is a violent tropical storm in the
  western Pacific Ocean. Typhoon winds may be over
  75 miles per hour. Typhoons form over tropical
  oceans when the air is heated and pushed up. A
  large whirl is created where the air goes up.
• The word typhoon comes from the Mandarin words,
  tai feng, which means great wind.

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Typhoon Facts

• The eye of a Typhoon is usually 20-30 miles wide
  and may extend over 400 miles.
• From 1900 to 1992 about 26,000 people died from
  Typhoons.
• A Typhoon can last 2 weeks or more over open
  water.
• They can run a path of the entire length of the
  eastern sea board.

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Tropical Cyclones
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• A tropical cyclone is a cyclone that originates
  over the Indian Ocean and the are around
  Australia. Its diameter can range between 200 and
  2000 km.
• It is characterized by a warm centre and strong
  whirling winds near the Earth's surface.

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Tropical Cyclone Facts

• The average speed is 120 kmph. It may vary from
  32 kmph to 200 kmph or more. It can even reach up
  to 400 kmph.
• Tropical cyclones develop over oceans and seas
  only.
• They are extremely violent over water.
• On landfall, their velocity decreases because of
  to friction, and the source of energy is cut off,
  therefore they dissipate soon.
• They affect the coastal areas only.
• Over the past two centuries, tropical cyclones
  have been responsible for the deaths of about
  1.9 million persons worldwide.

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Effects of hurricanes, typhoons, and tropical
cyclones.

• These cyclones out at sea cause big waves, heavy
  rain, and high winds, and sometimes causing
  shipwrecks.
• On land, cyclones can destroy cars, bridges,
  homes, and other buildings.
• The increase of sea level due to the cyclone, is
  the worst effect from cyclones. These have
  resulted in 90 of cyclone-related deaths.

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References

• Wikipedia.com
• Nelson Science 10 textbook, by Bob Ritter, Donald
  Plumb, Frank Jenkins, Hans van Kessel, and Alan
  J. Hirsh.